Judges 7:11

11 and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to attack the camp." Then he went down with his servant Purah to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp.

Judges 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 7:11

And thou shalt hear what they shall say
The Midianites, or what shall be said by any of them; for though it was the night season, and so not a time for much conversation, as it may be supposed to be the dead of the night; yet something would be said and heard, which is a clear proof of the prescience of God respecting future contingent events:

and afterwards shall thine hands be strengthened;
and his heart encouraged by what he should hear:

to go down into the camp;
in an hostile manner, with his three hundred men, after his return to them:

then went he down with Phurah his servant;
first privately, only they two, leaving his little army on the hill: and came

unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host;
the sentinels, who were without side the camp, and stood complete in armour to guard it; and they came as near to them, in as still and private manner as they could, without being discovered. The Septuagint version is,

``to the beginning of the fifty that were in the host;''

and the Syriac and Arabic versions,

``to the captain of the fifty;''

these might be a party of the outer guards, consisting of fifty men, with one at the head of them, placed for the safety of the army in the night season, and to give notice of any approach to them, or attempt on them.

Judges 7:11 In-Context

9 That same night the Lord said to him, "Get up, attack the camp; for I have given it into your hand.

10 But if you fear to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah;

11 and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to attack the camp." Then he went down with his servant Purah to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp.

12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east lay along the valley as thick as locusts; and their camels were without number, countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, "I had a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed."